Best hotels in Miyako Islands

Miyako-jima sits at the southern edge of Japan's Okinawa Prefecture, a low, sugarcane-covered island ringed by water so clear that locals simply call it Miyako Blue. Rosewood's first Japanese outpost occupies a private peninsula here, its concrete villas (designed by Dutch architect Piet Boon) built from limestone quarried from the very shore they overlook. One beach faces sunrise, another (a short stroll away) catches the sunset, and between them sit four restaurants, an infinity pool split neatly between grown-ups and children, and a spa scented with shikuwasa citrus. Barefoot luxury, with a five-year masterplan behind every stone path.

Irabu Island sits at the western edge of Okinawa's Miyako group, reached via a 3,540-metre bridge that arcs over water so clear the locals christened it 'Irabu Blue'. IRAPH SUI, a Luxury Collection Hotel, occupies a coveted stretch of coast, each room facing the sea and several with their own plunge pool. Days unfold around an infinity pool that appears to spill straight into the ocean, a spa drawing on Miyako sea salt and sun, and a French restaurant turning local wagyu and reef fish into something rather special. Sunsets here are dreamy beyond belief – you won't want to miss one.